Arthritis advice ..

V

vieshot

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 March 2007
Messages
2,049
Visit site
My girl has been showing minor arthritis symptoms for a number of months. Just slight stiffness and having to make a real effort to get up after a lay down after lots of exercise.

This week it's got a fair bit worse with her showing stiffness after minimal exercise.

I've ordered a big bottle of cortaflex and going to get her some flax oil. Can she have extra glucosamine or is there enough in the cortaflex? I saw a previous post mentioning a special collar or something? I want to try supplements before going down the injection route so is there anything else she can take to help her out?

Thanks
 
Found this fab article/website in the past, well worth a read
http://dogaware.com/health/arthritis.html

If you want to try a magnetic collar, there's a brand called Armadillo which are a lot cheaper than Bioflow and have had quite a few good reviews too. They recommend you alternative between having the collar on/off every 12 hours as opposed to constantly. I used one recently when Kiki hurt her shoulder, obviously no way of telling whether it was the rest, anti-inflammatories or the collar that had the most benefit but I figured it couldn't hurt, anyway!
 
I would go for bio flow with the collar, I did a bit of research here when trying one and it came recommended and the folk I have advised to try them have given them fab reports.
Look into diet (you need a food with no sugars) as it aggravates the condition (same as in humans) you can also get very good orthopedic dog beds for extra support and add some heat i winter (a heat pad) maybe and maybe some hydrotherapy as a more gentle form of exercise to keep her active build the muscles off solid ground.
Fish oils added to her food (fish 4 dogs) do bottles of salmon oil.
How old is she? has she had any previous injuries in life?
 
She's on the raw diet.

She's only rising six but has had a very very active lifestyle, regularly coming out hacking on the faster rides training the race ponies and has a fetch obsession which no doubt has taken its toll.

I've slowed down with the exercise now so she only comes out for the slow rides and eliminated fetch almost altogether which is fine. She settles fine now, in her younger days she would have eaten the house lol.

She's had a wicked life and I knew to expect an arthritic onset as a consequence but hope to get a couple more chilled out years with her but am fully expectant to have to say goodbye earlier than your average house pet, but I have always valued quality of life and would rather her have eight amazing years where everyday is amazing than have a dog that lives to fourteen but only gets its 20 minute lead walk a day....
 
My Springer has Arthritis and I give him the pedigree joint sticks and put oil on his dinner (Mazola)

He also goes swimming (hydrotherapy) once a week, this can be paid for through your insurance
 
My elderly lurcher has arthritis from an old injury. He had been on cortaflex and metacam for a year with no noticeable difference, I then took him off for a trial period and on the suggestion of my vet gave him one green lipped mussel capsule a day. Huge difference!
 
My 10 year old FCR is on "joint aid for dogs" it is a supplement you sprinkle on the food. It has helped keep her mobile and active and she has only just needed to start on metacam. Before starting on joint aid, I tried Yumove and mobile bones neither of which helped her. Maya competed in agility and working trials so has led a full and active life. We have just returned from a 10 day holiday in the Lake district where she has been walking and swimming all day.
Maya has been BARF fed all her life and has raised a BARF fed litter too.
 
A great number of joint supplements don't contain enough of the active ingredient in the usable form to warrant their use. Look on this forum at other posts about supplements. As with humans, turmeric, green lipped muscle, MSM, chondroitin, and glucosamine will help. I get MSM for me and my horse and dogs from New Horizons ( google or visit msmshop); its pure crystalline and doesn't contain the chalk and other rubbish that is so often found in supplements and for which you pay top whack! Their site is very helpful in explaining about the different msm's available and also glucosamine and chondroitin, which they sell. If you're feeding msm then its even better when fed with glucosamine ( synergistic effects.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top